Sclerotherapy and Microsclerotherapy in Melbourne

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For those experiencing varicose veins, direct vision sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy are two treatment options offered at Vein Care. Both are highly beneficial for certain types of vein abnormalities, such as small reticular and spider veins, with quick and simple procedures that deliver noticeable results.

In this overview, we will give you detailed descriptions, procedural insights, patient expectations and recovery guidelines to help you know what to expect as you explore vein treatment options. Our non-invasive treatments are welcome alternatives to surgical vein stripping, and our real-life testimonals show just how effective they can be when performed by highly experienced specialists. Learn more about our trusted sclerotherapy treatment in Melbourne and how it could transform the way your legs look and feel.

Close up image of doctor injecting to varicose veins on women's leg

Introduction to Sclerotherapy and Microsclerotherapy

Let’s begin with a broader look at sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy, two non-invasive methods proven effective for enlarged and visible veins. The main difference between the two is that sclerotherapy is used to treat large varicose veins, while microsclerotherapy uses ultra-fine needles to treat smaller spider and thread veins.

Both use a sclerosing agent in liquid or foam form, which is directly injected into the problem vein to irritate the lining of blood vessels and collapse it. Eventually, the targeted vein is naturally absorbed and no longer visible on the surface of the skin. Rest assured we will help you choose the right treatment tailored to individual needs.

 

Sclerotherapy Vein Removal at Vein Care Melbourne

At Melbourne’s leading vein clinic, we specialise in vascular treatment and spider vein removal. Sclerotherapy is one of the most popular vein therapy options, as treatment requires no anaesthetic, making it easy to recover from the surgery. This outpatient procedure is preferred for providing long-lasting results with minimal discomfort and downtime.

 

What is Sclerotherapy?

Sclerotherapy is a non-surgical procedure used to treat varicose veins both for cosmetic, comfort and circulatory concerns. It’s been used for over 150 years, although techniques have changed over time to improve safety and effectiveness. Today’s sclerotherapy methods are aided with modern ultrasound guidance, while foam sclerotherapy covers a larger surface area than liquid, displacing blood inside the vein for faster results. Foam sclerosant also works on deeper leg veins to alleviate aches and pain.

Benign varicose veins are most commonly found in the legs and feet, although sclerotherapy may also be used to treat disorders of the blood and lymph vessels that cause incorrect formation. If you are concerned about the look and feel of enlarged leg veins, it’s worth looking into sclerotherapy as a safe vein removal treatment with minimal pain and side effects.

 

How Sclerotherapy Works

When seeking treatment at Vein Care for varicose or spider veins, our team will walk you through procedure expectations and the recovery process. To shrink these affected veins and achieve long-lasting results, we follow a few simple steps that are much easier and far less painful and invasive than traditional vein stripping surgery.

In sclerotherapy, a detergent solution is injected via micro-needle directly into the affected vein. The liquid or foam sclerosing solution acts like glue, making the vein walls stick together and causing the vein wall to collapse. The immune system responds to support the natural healing process as the collapsed vein is dissolved and absorbed.

The immediate post-injection procedure involves applying a compression bandage to the area, which helps improve circulation and prevents new spider or varicose veins from forming. The total treatment time is approximately 30 minutes. Depending on the severity, multiple treatments per site may be required for the best results. The same goes for microsclerotherapy.

 

Microsclerotherapy

Microsclerotherapy is identical to traditional sclerotherapy except it’s specialised for tiny spider veins in the legs or face. Liquid microsclerotherapy has a high success rate with 60-70% of veins staying closed after 12 months. Sometimes re-injections are required to further enhance the results. This walk-in, walk-out treatment may be combined with ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy for larger feeder and reticular veins, with ultrasound imaging to confirm if the injection was successful.

 

Benefits of Sclerotherapy Treatment for Varicose Veins

Ultrasound guided sclerotherapy offers tremendous advantages for the treatment of small reticular and spider veins. It is very fast, easy on the patient, and typically provides visibly noticeable results in just a few weeks. It also leverages the body’s natural healing ability to remove unsightly veins and restore a youthful and appealing look, improving self-confidence and daily comfort, too.

No anaesthetic is required, helping to speed up the healing process. A micro-needle is used for sclerotherapy injection into the intended vein, making it collapse. The immune/healing system responds naturally to dissolve and absorb it, delivering impressive vein reduction results with minimal downtime.

Treatment Success Rate

When looking at the advantages of sclerotherapy vein treatment, the success rates say it all. After several treatments, most patients can expect a 70 to 80% improvement in treated vessels. They will slowly fade up to three months following the last treatment.

Sclerotherapy is typically recommended for small and medium-sized varicose veins, while endovenous laser ablation is another option for larger veins. Sclerotherapy uses the liquid or foam sclerosant to collapse the vein while EVLT uses the heat from a medical laser to achieve the same results. Over 3-5 years, EVLT has a 90% success rate. Our expert team will help you navigate these options and make the right decision based on the affected veins and what will bring you the best chance of success.

Potential Complications and Risks

One more benefit of sclerotherapy is the minimal risk of side effects, especially compared to surgical ligation and stripping. However, there are potential complications, such as discolouration/brown staining, skin ulceration, allergic reactions and deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Rest assured these risks are minimal, and our qualified practitioners will do everything possible to avoid such side effects while also preparing you for recovery and what to look out for. Compression stockings and daily walks are key to a smooth sclerotherapy or microsclerotherapy recovery.

 

Sclerotherapy Preparation

Before sclerotherapy treatment in Melbourne, it’s best to keep these few instructions and recommendations in mind:

  • Do not stop taking medications unless otherwise instructed.
  • Do not shave legs or apply moisturiser on the day of vein reduction treatment.
  • Wear loose pants and comfortable shoes to the appointment.
  • Varicose vein removal like sclerotherapy should be avoided if you plan to fly overseas in the next three weeks.
  • It’s best to stop smoking before vascular treatment.
  • Pre-medication isn’t necessary, but you can take two paracetamol tablets with food if you’re concerned about low pain tolerance.

 

What to Expect During Treatment

During your initial consultation, we will evaluate your veins and confirm if you are a good candidate for sclerotherapy or microsclerotherapy. Following our diagnostic procedures, we will arrange for a personalised treatment plan to get you set up for success. This may include several treatments, or a combination of sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy depending on the type, size and location of problem veins.

There are three key steps during treatment itself:

1. Prepping the affected area by cleansing it with an antiseptic solution, ensuring it’s ready for injection.
2. Injecting the sclerosing agent via a very thin needle into the vein, causing the vein walls to collapse.
3. Applying a compression bandage to the treatment area to boost circulation and stop new spider veins or varicose veins from forming.

 

Sclerotherapy Recovery Process

Not only is the sclerotherapy cost affordable, but the fast recovery time is also attractive. Adverse reactions are minimal, and any minor discomfort at the injection site can be minimised by local pressure. After sclerotherapy in Melbourne, patients can usually drive and/or return to work, although this should always be confirmed with the varicose vein removal specialist.

Aftercare tips include wearing compression stockings and going for a walk at least a couple of times a day, ideally for 30 minutes, to effectively manage discomfort and swelling. Over-the-counter pain medication may be used if you have slight aches and pains in your legs for the first few days post-treatment.

 

Sclerotherapy Before and After

Wondering how long after sclerotherapy to see results? Take a look at real examples of the quick sclerotherapy healing time and the overall success of our vein therapy options in Melbourne with this sclerotherapy before and after gallery. If you have any further questions about varicose vein or spider vein removal and the expected results, we would be happy to assist.

 

Schedule Sclerotherapy for Varicose Veins in Melbourne

There is no need to suffer from diseased or unsightly veins when sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy are readily available treatment options at Vein Care, which has already helped thousands of patients across Melbourne. Our team of experienced healthcare professionals helps change lives for the better every day and we can make a difference for you, too.

When you’re ready to transform your veins with expert sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy, our specialists will guide you through every step of the process. Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about our innovative vein clinic treatments or get in touch with the Vein Care team today to learn about sclerotherapy injection costs and book your consultation.

Schedule Sclerotherapy for Varicose Veins in Melbourne

There is no need to suffer from diseased or unsightly veins when sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy are readily available treatment options at Vein Care, which has already helped thousands of patients across Melbourne. Our team of experienced health care professionals helps change lives for the better every day and we can make a difference for you, too.

Check out our frequently asked questions to learn more about our innovative vein treatments or get in touch with the Vein Care team today to learn about sclerotherapy costs.

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What our clients are saying!

Lesley
Lesley
28 February 2023
Having my varicose veins was something I had thought about for a while but was hesitant. After my initial consult with Dr Dhillon, all my fears and doubts were put to rest.Dr Dhillon thoroughly explained all the procedures and answered my questions , so much so that I booked my procedures the very next day. Over the next few months Jo and Dr Dhillon really took care of me.Dr Dhillon explained everything he was doing at the time and always ensured that I was comfortable with the procedure. The results have certainly exceeded my expectations and not having bulging varicose veins on the back of my leg has certainly made me more comfortable wearing dresses. I cannot recommend Dr Dhillon highly enough, a very talented, personable and humble man.
John Fells
John Fells
20 February 2023
Excellent to the highest standard ! I would have to go back in time 25 years since my legs looked this good, all the bubbly varicose veins gone. Everything is explained and costed beforehand, this removed all the anxiety before I underwent surgery. After every surgical procedure a review was carried out a week or so later. There's quite a number of appointments involved to cover everything on both legs but the appointment schedule has a degree of flexibility. It's a bit of a journey at the start but you'll be glad you stayed the journey to the end when you see the results.
Andrew Corfield
Andrew Corfield
16 January 2023
I had bad varicose veins in my legs and decided after 20 odd years to do something about it. I did my research found Dr Dhillion on line and saw the amount of years he had been practising in this type of treatment. I booked a consultation with him and he took me through the process of what to expect. Over the next six months i had three types of treatment and the results are just amazing. No more self conscious moments when summer arrived and my legs don't ache or itch anymore. I cannot thank Dr Dhillion enough and highly recommend him to anyone who wants to get rid of varicose veins and feel so much better about themselves, i do. Thank you Dr Dhillion for everything you have done for me and for fixing my legs. Special mention to Jo and Abbie on reception who were always kind and helpful with any appointments and queries i had. Thank you all 🙂
anaya sharma
anaya sharma
28 November 2022
great place for vein care
Sonya Llewellyn
Sonya Llewellyn
18 November 2022
Dr Dhillon & his team are amazing!! From the 1st visit to the last I was treated with outstanding care & the results speak for themselves!! After years of covering up unsightly veins on my legs, I can finally say they're all gone! I am so grateful & would recommend Dr Dhillon in a heartbeat!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU 🙂
Alison Ripley Cubitt
Alison Ripley Cubitt
8 November 2022
I received an outstanding level of care from Dr Dhillon and his team. All the procedures and costs were explained to me in advance. I can’t recommend this practice highly enough.
Danielle Buultjens
Danielle Buultjens
8 November 2022
Excellent advice and service. Would recommend.
Wendy McNally
Wendy McNally
5 October 2022
Very professional and courteous staff deliver quality treatment with great results.
ellen wade
ellen wade
12 August 2022
Veincare have successfully removed varicose veins after 3 lots of surgery failed. Process did not involve anaesthetics and down time.
George Stav
George Stav
10 April 2022
Not the best experience I’ve had. Edit- thanks for explaining It- it’s understandable to make mistakes. Thanks